Process for distilling



E. J. WINTER.

PROCESS FOR DISTiLLING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1am.

Patented Sept. 5, 1 922...

ll afcented Sept. 5, 19220 To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, ERNEST JERoME WIN- TER, of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented a certain new and use ful Improvement in Processes for Distilling, and do hereby declare that the following a is a full, clear, and exact description thereof. T My invention relates particularly to a process adapted to be used in distilling, but I it has reference especially tothe distillation of alcohol. 1 j The object of my invention is to rovide a process by which distillates of a high del gree of purity and strength may be ob.- tained, and especially to provide a distilling 1 process by which a very high proof alco hol, or absolute alcohol, may be obtained.

A further object of my invention is to provide a process of the above character in which the distillates referred to may be readily obtained at a minimum cost and with a minimum amount of labor.

' Hitherto, in the distillation of alcohol, owing to the use of atmospheric pressures and columns, alcohol of a greater strength than about 954% could not be obtained, for the reason that at atmospheric pressures, when the strength of the alcohol being distilled or rectified has reached 95.4%, the vapor produced under these conditions would have the same strength. Furthermore, in the said processes, if. any attempt were made to apply a vacuum, this would Tr be inefi'ective because of the fact that the columns would prevent the vacuum from acting to any great degree below the first few pans at the top of the column connected with the vacuum pump, inasmuch as there I: are liquid seals between the several pans which gradually increase the head of liquid between the upper and lower portions-of The object of my invention is, therefore, to obviate the disadvantages inherent in previous processes provided for distilling alcohol, and particularly to provide a process in which a vacuum may be readily applied, so that advantage may be taken of fact that under the influence of a vacuum the vapors obtained fromalcohol having a strength of 95.l% or higher con- -'Itain even a larger percentage of alcohol than the liquid from which said vapors are 1 derived.

Application filed Jane 13, 1513.

ERNEST JEROBEE.WINTER, @F BALTIMORE, EKARYLAESD, ASSIGNGR TU '6'. S. INDUS- TRIAL ALCOHGL (30., A CORPDRATIGN OF WEST VIRG-IHIA.

PROGE$S FOR DISTILLING.

Serial 1% 0. 239,756.

Still another object of my invention is 'to provide a process of this nature in which a body of alcohol of increasing strength is brought into contact with a body of vapor, also of increasing strength but which has a lower strength than the body of vapor that would be derived from and be in equilibrium with the portion of said body of alcohol with which it would be in contact at any one time.

That is to say, the object of my invention is particularly to provide a process of this kind in which there is an advancing film of alcohol, having a progressively increasing strength toward its rearmost-portion, which is brought in contact with an advancing current of alcohol vapors having a strength which increases towards its foremost portion, the two'currents of liquid and vapors being conveyed in opposite directions, and the strength of the alcohol vapors at any given point being less than the strength of the vapor which would be in equilibrium with the liquid at that point, but greater than the strength of the liquid itself, so that as the current of vapor advances it will become richer in alcohol, while the current of liquid-as it advances will become poorer in alcohol.

A further object of my invention is to treat in this manner vapors obtained from an alcohol still and to remove the weakened liquid thereafter to a column rectifier, in which substantially all of the alcohol vapors are removed from the liquid, so that in this way the apparatus maybe used for distilling alcohol of a low degree of strength, that is or lower, as-for example 5%*. v

Further objects of my invention will vappear from the detailed description thereof contained hereinafter.

While my invention is capable of being carried out in many different ways, for the purpose of illustration I shall describe only one way of oarr ing out my invention hereinafter, and whi c it is capable of being carried out in connection with many different types of apparatus, I have shown only one type of apparatus for use in connection therewith in the accompanying drawings, in which F igure 1 is a diagrammatic representa-' tion, partly in section, showing an apparatus m i e in accordance with my invention; and igure 2 is'an enlarged detail of the tubular rectifier.

In the draw' still 1,. carried upon any suitable framework 2, and which' is provided witha manhole 3,

two glass windows 4 and 5 for viewing the progress of the distillation, a steam heating jacket 6 provided with a steam inlet pipe 7, a feed pipe 8 provided with a valvc8f for the inlet] of weakzalcohol, as for example 5% alcohol, the same being connected with'a supply tankz9, having a gauge 10,.and a drain-pipe 11. A va' r outlet pipe 12is' d. at the top 0 the still- 1, the same provide0 being 0 nnected witha foam trap 13, having "a return pipe 14 to said still. The vapor out-let pipe 12 leads into a lower. section 15 of a tubular rectifier 16, and has at its extremeend an upwardly bent portion 17, which passes through a diaphragm'18 extending across said lower section 15. which diaphragm 18 has a plurality of holes 19'to receive the lowermost ends of a number of vertically arranged tubes 20 extending upwardly in said rectifier 16. Theholes 19 are larger than the external diameters of the tubes 20, so as to provide outlets for. the alcohol vapors in a downward direction through the-diaphragm 18, in order to effectively distribute the alcohol vapors in the lower section 15 prior. to the entry of the.

and being secured thereto, as well asto an upper rectlfier section 22, by means of bolts 23. Said upper rectifier section 22*carrying a'plate similar to plate 21, into which tubes are tightly secured is connected by means of valved pipes 24 and 25 to a preheater 26, which is adapted to be supplied with steam by means of'pipes 2-7 and 28. The preheater is designed to be used only when starting, the

operation of the apparatus, so as to provide in the upper section of the rectifier 22 the desired temperature from the beginning of the operation thereof. After the desired temperature has been reached, the preheater 26 will be thrown out of operation by the closing of its valves, and thereafter a cooler 29 will be brought into operation, which cooler is connected by pipes 30 and 31 to "said upper section 22, said pipe 30 having therein a thermostat 30 and a circulating 3G upper section'2 2. The cooler -29 -which may be of the usual type is supplied with cold pu'm 30 which as occasion may require circ ates a current of cooling water in the waterby means of pipes 32 and 33. At the upper end of the upper section22, there is "a cover 34, having avapor outlet pipe 35' I have'sh'own an alcohol which form, t

place near their plates and the condensate from the tubular \capes through an overflow pipe 59.

leading} secured to the top thereof. Attached to the lower end the lower section 15 there is'a cover 36, secured thereto by means of bolts 37, and having extending downwardly there from a valved pipe 38, which leads to about 'the middle portion of a rectifying column 39,

comprising a plurality ofpans 40 connected by overflow tubes 41, and provided with tubes 42 for the passage of vapors, covered by hoods 43. which are sealed in the liquid carried by the pans. The lower end of the column 39 is connected with a source of heat, which may be live steam by a valved pipe 43. The liquid freed from alcohol escapes from the lower end of the column 3 9 by a'valved pipe 44 to a plurality of water or weak alcohol receivers 45, 46, which receive'rs 45, 46, have valved compressed air inlets 47 and 48. Valved outlet pipes 49 and 50 conduct the contents of the receivers- 45 and 46 to a valved pipe 51 having a valved outlet 52, which pipe 51 1s arranged to convey the liquid from the receivers 45 and 46 to a reservoir 53, which is provided with a valved compressed air connection 54. "The alcohol .vapo which pass out of the top of the rect1fier16 are walls of the parallel vertical vapor pipes,

e usual tight-joint with end condenser 55 passes into a coil condenser 58,

which is cooled. by the water passing out through the pipe 57 which water finallyTrils e condensate from the coil 58' passes, by a pipe 60,"to the to of the 001 11111139, and is thereevaporate and conveyed away by a pipe 61; to a tubular condenser 62, coupled with a coil condenser 63,-said tubular and coil condenser 62, 63, being constructed 1n the same manner as the tubular and coil con- 7 denser 55' and'58 previously described. The

condensate from the coil 63 passes downwardly by a-valved pipe 64 into two strong alcohol receivers 65 and 66, which are pro- F vided with valved vacuumronnections 67 and 68, leading to a vacuum pipe 69. Said receivers 65 and 66 are, furthermore, pro vided with valved outlet pipes 70'and 71, t to a pipe 72, which is connected to the pipe 52, and in this way, to the reservoir 53. From the pipe 52 a pipe 73 leads to the supply tank 9. v I

Any vapors escaping from the top of the tubular condenser 55. pass out by pipe 74 to a suction box 75, which suction box is also connected by a pipe 76 to the top of the tubular condenser 62; The pipe 69 is also connectedto the suction box 75. Any condensate accumulating in the suction box is upon occasion drawn ofi by a pipe 77 and conducted to the supply tank 9. Vacuum is applied to the suctlon box 7 5 by means of a pipe 78, which leads to a vacuum pump 7 9.

In the operation of my rocess, it will be understood that many different materials may be treated therein and that alcohols of many different kinds and strengths may be operated upon in accordance therewith.

For example, however, I may operate upon an aqueous ethyl alcohol of a low strength, which may have a strength of 5% or higher. a

In order to start the operation of the process, the alcohol is charged into the still 1, or may be introduced initially into the supply tank 9, in any desired manner. Furthermore, the preheater 26 will be operated to heat the upper section 22 of the rectifier to the desired temperature, that is to say a temperature depending on the vacuum, but of about 2 C. below the boiling temperature of absolute alcohol at that pressure, but as soon as this temperature has been attained and as soon as vapors are received from the still 1, it will be understood that the preheater 26 will be disconnected and the cooler 29 will be thrown into operation instead, so

as to maintain said temperature substantially constant.

The vacuum pump 79 is now operated so as to produce a vacuum of not less than 27 inches of mercury.

The alcohol vapors which pass out from the pipe 12 are discharged into the lower section 15 above the diaphragm 18, and are thence discharged downwardly through the openings 19 around the tubes 20, so that in this way the alcohol vapors become evenly distributed within the lower section 15, so that they will be uniformly supplied through the tubes 20. Any condensate which may accumulate above the diaphragm 18 also passes downwardly through the openings 19 and is received by the cover 36. The alcohol vapors passing into the lower ends of the tubes 20 will have a strength of approximately 42% alcohol. As these vapors pass upwardly in the tubes 20, a portion thereof will become condensed during the travel of the vapors through said tubes, so that by the time the vapors reach the upper ends of the tubes 20 there will be a descending film of condensed water and alcohol extending from the upper to the lower portion of said tubes 20.

Owing to the fact, however, that under the influence of a vacuum solutions of alcohol in water, even when approximating absolute alcohol, are in equilibrium with the vapors evolved therefrom only when said vapors contain a larger percentage of alcohol than the liquid adjacent thereto, the ascending current of Vapors in the tubes 20 will become enriched in alcohol by reason of the condensation therefrom of a liquid which is lower in alcohol content than the vapors from which it was derived.

Not only is this the case, but it will be seen that as the current of vapors approaches the upper ends of the tubes 20 the condensate therefrom will be richer in alcohol than the condensate from the vapors entering the lower ends of said tubes 20, inasmuch as the condensate produced at the upper ends of the tubes 20 will be formed from vapors richer in alcohol than the vapors in the lower ends of the tubes 20. Therefore, the tubes 20 contain an ascending current of alcohol vapors becoming increasingly richer in alcohol as they ascend, while the inner walls of said tubes will carry a descending film of aqueous alcohol becoming progressively poorer in alcohol.

Furthermore, because of the reverse directions in which these two currents flow, the vapors at any one point in the tubes 20 will be continually brought into contact with a portion of the film of liquid which is richer in alcohol than a body of aqueous alcohol that would be in equilibrium with the vapors at said point, so that there will result an interchange between the vapors at this point with the liquid with which it is in contact which will increase the percentage of alcohol in the vapors and decrease the percentage of' alcohol in the liquid. In this way the increase in the percentage of the alcohol in the current of ascending vapors will become very much accelerated.

When, therefore, the vapors leave the upper ends of the tubes 20, they will be found to very closely approximate pure alcohol, and may, for example, during favorable use of the embodiment of my invention described in detail herein be comprisedof 99 or 99.5% alcohol.

The condensate which passes outwardly from the lower ends of the tubes 20, as well as any condensate whichpasses outwardly from the openings 19, is conveyed by the pipe 38 to the center of the column 39, where the weak alcohol is subjected to a current of live steam, so that thealcohol vapors, which are small in quantity compared with the volume of liquid supplied through the pipe 60, are removed therefrom and pass upwardly in said column, until the very highproof alcohol escapes from the top of said column under the influence of the vacuum. The liquid, which would be either water or very weak alcohol, passes out from the bottom of the column 39, and is conveyed by the pipe 44 to the receivers 45 and 46, from which point the same may be discharged by the outlet pipe 51, or may be transferred into the reservoir 53.

The vapors which pass out from the top of the rectifier 16 are conducted to the combined tubular and coil condenser 55 and 58,

from which the condensate is conveyed. into the top 'of thecolumn 39, from which point, under the influence ofthe vacuum, the very high proofalcohol vapors passout fromtlre top of the column by means of the pipe 6 1 to the combined tubular and. coil condenser 62 and .63, whence. they ma be drawn oif by the pipe 64 and conveye into the strong alcohol receivers 65 and 66. From these receivers 65 and 6B the strong alcohol may, if desired, be conveyed tothe reservoir 53, and any liquid in saidreservoir 53 may upon occasion be. forced by compressed'air through A thepipe 7 3 into the supply tank 9, and, if desired, returned to the still 1 for further treatment. Any vapors which escapefrom the top of the condensers 55 and 62 are conveyed by the pipes 7 4 and 76, respectively, to the suction box 75, and, if any condensate accumulates there, the' same is conveyed away by the pipe 77 to the supplyltank 9, from which pipe 11' permits withdrawal, or pipe8 facilitates redistillation.

During'the distillation, the progressthereof may be determined by viewing theaction of the same through-the various Windows, tail boxes,'-etc.

While I have" described -my inventionabove in detail, I' wish it" to be understood thatmany changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, For example, by the term still I mean'any vapor-supplying means.

Iclaim: Q 1; The process which comprises bringing into contact within atubular rectifier relatively moving-bodies offmixed liquids and and tre vapors thereof under decreased pressure, then removing the liquids, treating them in the lower portion of. a column rectifier, con densing a fraction from the mixed vapors ating them in the upper portion of p the column rectifier. 2.,The process whicli comprises bringing into contact relatively moving bodies of mixed liquids and vapors thereof underdecreased pressure, then removing the liquids, treating them in the lowerportion of a col/- umn rectifier, condensingthe mixed vapors and treating them in the upper portion of the column rectifier, and then condensing the vapors passing out of the upper portion of -the column rectifier... '1 1 3. The process which comprises "bringing into contact within a'tubular' rectifier relatively moving bodies of mixed liquid alcohol 4 and water and vapors thereof under de-" creased pressure, then removing the liquids, treating them in the lower portion of a column rectifier, condensing-a -fraction from -the mixed-vapors. and treating them in the upper portion of the column rectifier. L The process which comprises bringin' into contact relatively moving bodies 0% mixed liquid alcohol and water'and vap ors ,ass

thereof under decreased pressure, then removing the liquids, treating them in the lower portion of a column rectifier, condensing the mixed v apors and treating them in the upper portion of the column rectifier,

and then condensing the vapors passing out bf the upper portionof the column rectifier,

5. The process which'comprises distilling alcohol having a strength of 20% or lower,"

bringing into contact relatively moving bodies 'of mixed liquid alcohol and water condensed 'from the distilled vapors and saidvapors under decreasedpressure, then removingthe' liquids, treating-(them in the lower portion of acolumn rectifier, condensing the mixed vapors and treating thema in the upper portion of the column rectifier.

6. The process which compnises distilling alcohol having'a "strength of 20% or lower, bringing into contact relatively moving bodies of mixed liquid alcohol -and water condensed from the distilled va'porsand said mixed liquids and vaporsgthereof under {decreased pressure, then removingthe, liquids, treating them in the lower portion of a-column rectifier, condensing the mixed vapors and treating them. in the upper portion of the column rectifier.

8. The process which comprises bringing into contact oppositely moving bodies of mixed liquids and vapors thereof -under decreased pressure, then removing the liquids,

umn rectifier, condensing the mixed vapors and treating them in the upper portion of the column rectifier, and then condensing the treating them in the lower'portion of a col- 7 vapors passing out 'of-theupper portion of the, column rectifier.

9. The process which comprises distilling,

alcoholfhaving a strength-of 20% or lower, bringing" into contact oppositely moving bodies'of mixed liquig condensed from the "stilled gvapors and said vapors under decreased pressure, then removing the liquids, treating them in the lower portion ofacolufnn rectifier, condensing the mixed vapors and treating'them in the. upper portion of the column rectifier,

alcohol and water and then condensing the vapors passing out ofthe upper portion of the column rectifier. 10. The process of separating a relatively volatile substance from a less volatile substance, whose vapors are mixed therewith, which comprises passing such mixed vapors by a tortuous path about and then mto the lower end of a heat-exchanging element, from which heat-exchanging element a condensate may freely and directly descend,

while vapors comprismg such relatively volatile substance are evacuated from the upper portion of said heat-exchanging element, and then fractionating the vapors so escaping.

11. The process of separating a relatively volatile substance from a less volatile substance, whose .vapors are mixed therewith, which comprises passing such mixed vapors by a tortuous path about and then into the lower end of a heat-exchanging element, from which heat-exchanging element a condensate may freely and directly descend, while vapors comprising such relatively volatile substance are evacuated from the upper portion of said heat-exchanging element, then fractionating the vapors so escaping, and passing a fraction into a separate'still comprising superimposed liquid baths under varying pressures.

12. The process of separating a relatively volatile substance from 'a less volatile substance whose vapors are mixed therewith, which comprises passing such mixed Vapors by a tortuous path about and then into the lower end of a heat-exchanging element, from which heat-exchanging element a condensate may freely and directly descend while vapors comprising such relatively volatile substance are evacuated from the upper portion of said heat-exchanging element, then fractionating the vapors so escaping, and passing both the least volatile fraction thus obtainedand the first mentioned condensate separately into intercommunicating parts of a still comprising superimposed liquid baths maintained under varying pressures.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

ERNEST JEROME WINTER. Witnesses:

JOHN P. GIsomaL, ARTHUR WRIGHT. 

